Charlize Theron has deftly made the transition from actress to producer in recent years. And the Oscar-winning star looked every inch the chic professional when she turned out for the premiere of a documentary she has made about Cuba's buzzing hip-hop scene.
With her trademark blonde locks turned brunette and tied back from her face, the South African beauty showed a more serious side to her persona in New York on Thursday. The white satin jacket she wore over her black blouse showed the glamorous 31-year-old had lost none of her sense of style, though.
Her new film, East Of Havana, follows the struggles of three young rappers as they try to make their name in Cuba's music industry. Along the way their socially conscious lyrics land them in hot water with government censors on more than one occasion. "The legal aspect was tedious," confessed the A-list actress. "We gave one of the kids a film camera and the police picked him up purely for having a camera."
The end result seems to have been worth the effort, though, as critics stateside are already hailing the documentary for its gritty realism. Its haunting imagery, which was provided by Christophe Lanzenberg, the man behind Madonna: Truth Or Dare, has come in for particular praise.
Charlize, who also produced her latest drama Ferris Wheel, meanwhile says that taking a bigger role in the making of her films is a natural progression. "It's not like I started my career as an actor, then picked up a second career as a producer,” explained the performer, who was joined by designer Donna Karan and fellow actor Bill Pullman at the screening. "I’ve always been fascinated by the technical aspects of film — sound-mixing, marketing, everything."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
